#TalkTahriib

Imagine calling your loved one and beginning the phone call with, “i’m being held against my will and won’t be freed unless you send $80,00”. Heartbreaking? Outrageous? Unbelievable? Yeah.

A few days ago, a heartbreaking video appeared on my timeline. At first, thoughts like “is this real” crossed my mind. But as i watched the disturbing video, it became more apparent that these acts of violence were indeed occurring and not in my backyard but hundreds of thousands of miles away. This could very well be happening in our own backyard. So, why does it matter?

While this is devastating, what is equally devastating is the lack of outrage from the international community. Tahriib as it is known is not uncommon. In fact, it is just resurfacing. Hundreds have fell victim to this form of migration. What distinguishes this pilgrimage from others is that it comes with aprice tag and not the kind you get while purchasing a ticket, but one worth a life.

For those wondering why anyone would go on such journey, it comes down to one thing: the pursuit of happiness, liberty and opportunities.

These are the same individuals escaping poverty and one of the worst recorded humanitarian crises. They aren’t fleeing for fun, but rather to help their families.

What’s upsetting is the the lack of discussion in mainstream media. As well as the absence of this topic in western news. The only people talking about tahriib are somalis and to our knowledge the only websites reporting on this devastating phenomena would be BBC Somalia and posts on Facebook.

There is no doubt that change can occur- a life can be saved. But, we must act quick and continue the conversation. We want to encourage action.

Join us and use the hashtag #TalkTahriib to bring the dialogue to all social media platforms

Once you’ve done that, we want to encourage you to tweet and write a letter to your local political leader and ask them to join the dialogue and demand action from their governments.

This affects us all. Please keep in mind that we are observing Ramadan- one of the holiest months, so please make dua and demand justice for your brothers and sisters.

On July 3rd, we hosted Empowering Young Women through Leadership #EYWTL, a networking event that targeted young women and girls ages 13 to 25. The purpose of the event was to inspire, encourage and support women and girls into pursuing careers that involve leadership.

We decided to tackle the stigmas associated with women leaders by inviting influential speakers, public figures and leaders, predominantly women, from all walks of life who champion their jobs every day. It was very important for us to host an event like this because we truly believe this conversation is one long overdue. Often times Women and Girls are not encouraged to strive for success like their male counterparts in educational environments and in the workplace. Similarly, our women and girls are not exposed or given a variety of career options. Studies have found time and time again that this is harmful. The reality is, unconscious gender bias is very much alive.

Since starting Horn of Hope, both Yasmeen and I have encountered many women and girls who say, "it is refreshing to see young women involved in the community!". I believe we hear this a lot because it's rare to see girls using a platform to both promote and educate individuals on equality. Did you know, "Women play critical roles in society, make the majority of purchasing decisions, and make up just over 40% of U.S. heads of households"? Yet only a handful of women are appointed leaders or given positions of power throughout industries, companies and government.

There is no doubt that inequality exists, but as youth we believe we can work together to close this gap. #EYWTL not only allowed us to bring together women and girls, but we grabbed the attentions of men and boys who supported the event and participated in the conversation.

If you could not attend, don't worry! Watch a short clip highlighting #EYWTL below (:

Many use social media as entertainment; however, Somalidev uses it for something greater. We come across many youth who use their platforms to bring change, advocate, fundraise, or simply share unique experiences outside the West. What sets Mr. Hassan apart is that he highlights the diversity of cultures across east Africa while also analyzing political development.

Let's meet the man behind our favorite Twitter account!

My name is Maxamed Hassan. I'm a 21 year old student studying Finance and Political Economy. I live in Sydney,Australia. The idea behind 'Somaliadev' twitter account is to promote the ongoing development in Somalia. This idea mainly is centered around twitter to reach out to the large Somali twitter users, in doing so I hope to share stories about Somalia and Somalis, especially those back home. I also love interacting with my global followers about issues facing Somalia and Somalis.

What motivated you to create the account?

I created this account because I visited rural Somalia in 2012, and it was completely different from what people told me or what I saw in the media. Having grown up in Australia for most of my life, it was a culture shock going back to Somalia for the first time. The hardest part was not being able to communicate in Somali very well. People will not take you serious if you are not able to speak the language.

What advice can you give Somali diaspora who want to return?

For diaspora who want to go back, go visit your country and see things for yourself. You'll be surprised to find a different country than what you often see in the news. Also, find ways you can contribute to the rebuilding of Somalia. There is so much opportunity in the Somalia! Now is the time to invest!

What does HOPE mean to you?

I grew up as a Somali citizen and throughout my 21 years of life, I have not seen or enjoyed a peaceful Somalia. I have lived all throughout my life, waiting with hope, that one day I will see my beloved country united and peaceful.

Hope to me means something you hang onto when all appears lost. It is a feeling that keeps you going.

Year after year, my dreams of seeing a peaceful Somalia are diminished. Conferences after conferences, the hope of seeing Somalia becoming a country where its citizens will have the basic necessities of life are taken away from me. President after President, the same routine and the same clan-based government always repeats itself in different forms. Now I am tired of waiting. I am tired of hearing former warlords calling themselves Members of the Parliament. I am tired of hearing incompetent and uneducated clan-based politicians controlling the fate of the Somali people. The whole country is being held hostage by these clan elders.

What Role Do Somali Youth Play in the Development of Somalia?

I may be only 21 years old, I may be a citizen of another country, but the love that I have for my people and my homeland surpass age, experience or anything related to that. This mentality of age being the factor in the Somali culture is something we need to leave behind. Do not get me wrong, I love and respect my elders, but they need to step down and let the upcoming generation take over. It is time for the new generation to bring new ideas on how to rebuild our country.

Somali youth make up 70% of the population, yet they lack any leadership or rights to influence Somalia politics.

In the past, youth were treated as integral part of society, and therefore expected to play a greater role in its future. Youth have contributed in the quest for Somalia’s freedom in 1960, through determination and endurance that earned the country’s independence. Since, 1940s, youth noticeable Somali Youth League (SYL) worked tirelessly, and devoted their time and lives to the concept of Somali unity that transcended clan considerations. Today however, youth are invisible not because of inability to excel, but because of their own current society’s lack of acknowledgement of youth’s contribution to the county’s history and vision. In Somalia, children are valued as they are considered an asset or perhaps insurance for family and the society at large. For instance, parents and grandparents do take care of their children and in return children take the role of caregivers for their parents and grandparents as there are no social services to support families. Somali society became very comfortable with the concept that Somali elderly men can foretell the future of the country and can make a sound judgment of what is good for the country. However, society seems to forget that the country’s future depends not only on its elderly, but its young people also. Somalia needs to harness the full potential of its youth- boys and girls whom will be the country’s key to new vitality and hope.

What's Next for Somaliadev?

I hope to someday soon, return to Somalia and permanently move there. I can't afford to see another generation of lost childhoods. When that happens, I hope to share my journey on Somaliadev.

Somalia is more likely to experience heavy rains that could leave more than 900,000 people living on floodplains along Jubba and Shabelle rivers in central and southern Somalia ‘destitute’ according to early alert by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

(Photo Courtesy of SWALIM0)

Riverine areas have all along been bruised by flash as well as pluvial floods due to new wild flood irrigation in dry seasons, deterioration of flood control structures, poor management of River basins, increased bed levels because of high sediment yields and dilapidated pre-war hydraulic structures.

The country can’t cope with riverine floods as a result of overtopping and very high rainfall intensity as experts predict.

Should flood risks become imminent, federal government of Somalia which is grappling with challenges in security front can’t deal with large-scale disaster in the aftermath of El Niño.

In October and December seasonal rainfall, Somalia may ruefully brace up for severe El Niño conditions including flooding and possible landslides.

Thanks to early warning of FAO Water and Land Information Management Unit (SWALIM), world is predicting that flooding could very hard hit large parts of the country, most specifically in Southern Somalia. This is key response against flooding and it should be taken seriously to prevent crops and villages from being washed away and submerged.

Data gathered by SWALIM show that Somalia used to enjoy massive irrigation infrastructures such as 10 barrages of which nine were built over Shabelle River and the remaining one on Jubba for flow controls.

The availability of technical information about the floods to be expected if water spills over the banks of Shabelle and Jubba rivers will be flood abatement measure. Despite under-resourced government bodies, i am sure that a humanitarian staging area can be the most preferred cushion.

From my perspective, Somalia needs to adopt concrete measures from the outcome of IGAD’s climate Predictions and Application Centre meeting which will bring together regional and international climate experts in Tanzania on Monday.

For more facts visit http://www.fao.org/somalia/en/

Here, I suggest that some measures be possibly implemented by concerned bodies on the ground had officials gone at length for framing of policies on hazard responses.

1 – Topography of Shabelle River is complex and the River spans longer than Jubba, henceforth Somali authorities should prohibit certain land uses on more flood prone flood plains along either river.

2 – Improving flood proofing techniques including sandbags as has been the case and the construction of water proof walls.

3 – Increase in monitoring and predictions, especially data on rainfall and stream discharges by FAO and its partners, so that they can produce accurate predictions translating into the very timing of flood surges.

4 – Fourth, construction of flood control structures, such as dykes and levees as well as modifications including artificial linings, relief channels and diversion to low impact flood plain zones to both Jubba and Shabelle Rivers.

Unpreparedness for El Niño is potentially dangerous in a country where all hydraulic structures and economic infrastructure need to be brought back into operation.

Enhanced rainfalls too might complicate the situation and would hamper timely coordination between parties awaiting uphill task to be executed at source.

As Jubba and Shabelle tail reaches are extremely unstable and appear alluvial in nature, Somalia government must confront El Niño with expertise and the concern that they pass through critical economic areas.

Billion cubic meters of water would have been assessed scientifically if partners and bodies had employed two dimensional river hydraulic models. Against the backdrop of absence of relevant institutions, efforts to develop integrated flood management plan need to get underway for government offices to adopt sound river management measures via updated topographical and geomorphological data.

Abdirashid M. Dahir, who writes about Somalia’s economic infrastructure, has contributed to this piece. Follow him on twitter @somaliajunkie or he can be reached at ducale114@gmail.com

The Horn of Hope Team would like to thank Mr. Dahir for submitting this insightful read.

A few months ago my inspiration Sagal, from Sage Foundation, and I collaborated to fundraise for Wheels for Women; A campaign we launched on GoFundMe. Sagal, whom I had the pleasure of working with, was moved by one woman's journey-Willo Ali Haganeh, a Djibouti national and former business lady. In 2000, Willow was struck by a car during her commute to work. As a result of the accident, Willo was diagnosed with dorsal spine trauma and paraplegia. When Sagal Abdi visited her and many others, she stated, "I have not a mother or father left. I am suffering alone". Thanks to support from the Global Somali community, we were able to reach our goal and provided Wiilow with a wheelchair. (Willow, standing Left- Pink garment).

Like many, Sagal Abdi is passionate about giving back. But, what distinguishes her from many individuals I have come across is her determination to see ALL women thrive! Honestly speaking, not many individuals are willing to sacrifice their youth, time, or wealth to see others prosper. We all share the responsibility of supporting our communities but, support goes far beyond raising money; it is reminding each other there's hope.

We asked Sagal for an interview to better portray her dreams, vision, and mission.

What ignited this passion of yours?

I quit my job at Extra Energy ( Gas and Electricity call centre) because I was tired of wasting my motivation in an already well established company. I felt that my skills and ambitious attributes were needed elsewhere. I lost my grandmother in the past year or so due to Cancer and ever since then I have been disappointed in the healthcare in Africa. I mean I know it was qadr Allah but the misdiagnosis was out of order and she could have had more time to ask for forgiveness if she knew the illness. I also volunteered with International Citizen Service, VSO for three months where I was exposed to another culture, way of life and an intense education project. From this volunteering experience I developed greatly on a personal note and I haven't stopped being an active citizen ever since.

What Does Hope Mean To You?

Ah, Hope is a very broad word. Personally, hope to me is that we will as a diaspora return to the motherland. I hope we all use our education , knowledge and power in order to empower home. I hope that we make Somalia greater again, a land free of tribalism, war, and poverty. I hope that we unite as young men and women to create a better world for generations to come. I hope that we show our current political leaders that we hold enough credentials to govern the future of the horn. I hope as women we liberate each other and will be able to expose our belligerent personas so we can also abolish gender based discrimination. I hope that Somalia will be great again, because of us.

What Role Do Youth Play in the Development of Somalia?

I think youth play a fair bit in the development of Somalia. However, I don't think enough are engaged in it. It's great attending national independence days, reminding the community of our culture and celebrating the motherland but how sustainable is that? More youth need to be actively involved and I mean just beyond social media and hashtags in the development of Somalia. It's a bit like McDonalisation we are missing the one who flips the burgers and the cashier. The most important roles ( analogy could have been better, I know). Anyway, Development work needs a team , a team with a division of labour to help complete the task effectively!

It must be challenging to express your concerns on issues like FGM (Female Genital Mutilation), Gender Equality, and Mental Health. Do you ever felt limited while pursuing your dream?

I do feel limited in some areas of my work due to my gender and age of course. There is the common perception that I'm this 'white Washed' diaspora girl who thinks she can change the world instantly. Also, on some occasions I've been told I am far too young to even try to tackle some of the 'overdue' social issues in Djibouti. I don't let this stop me because the Sage Foundation represents the Young Women in Djibouti and I won't let a narrow minded individual stop those girls from achieving their dreams!

What can we hope to see as you expand and further develop Sage Foundation?

There are many things that will be coming from the Sage Foundation. We are in planning of the Sage Foundation centre for Young Women in Djibouti. We believe every woman has a right to absolute privacy and freedom. This centre will allow young women to freely talk about any difficulties they face within their communities. In confidence, they will attend the centre to receive advice on sexual health, employability skills , micro finance schemes and how to fight illiteracy etc. We will remain determined to continue in partnership with the handicap 'living stronger ' women's association and the women of the national HIV/AIDS prevention program. We will cooperatively work alongside these organisations in order to create more successful campaigns like our current one #WHEELSFORWOMEN. We plan on creating an army of empowered young women so they can contribute to their world.

First, I would like to say thank to Horn of Hope for reaching out to us. My name is Hamdi and I am the owner and founder of MY252. I recently graduated and started the website MY252 which is all about Somalia and the Somali diaspora. 252 is the area code for all of Somalia and with our website we represent Somalia in a positive manner. We are a team of 4 based of out of Europe and Canada. As a team, our mission is to share the good happening in all of the Somali communities around the world. My role model is my mother who continues until this day to support me and believes in my dreams. My mother loves our website and I want to make her proud. She motivates me to do good and great. She has always told me,

"Anything is possible with hard work and dedication."

What does Hope mean to you?

Hopes means being positive and believing you can accomplish your goals to help others and better yourself even when the odds are against you. Our hope is that with our website, we can show the world that Somalia and Somali people around the world are very hard working and have many success stories to celebrate.

What Role do Youth play in the development of Somalia?

The youth play a very important role in the development of Somalia. For there to be a brighter future in Somalia, the youth must be given an opportunity to get proper education and offered more job opportunities. With proper education they can learn the tools needed to help themselves, their families, and their country.

What sparked the idea of My252?

I have always wanted to connect people living in Somalia with the Somali diaspora online. I couldn’t find an online website that showcased all the good happening in our community. Many websites tend to focus heavily on negative things such as war…etc. So, I decided to launch the site after graduating and I did just that. MY252.com is a space that gives a voice to all the Somali people around the world who aren't celebrated and supported.

How are you using your platform to bring change?

Well, our target audience are Somali youth. We use issues pertaining to them or just general interests to form different narratives. We feature all the amazing success stories and share them on our website and social medias. Somali people living back home and the Somali diaspora who travel back home email us, share videos, and send pictures daily showcasing the beauty of Somalia and we share that. We love it! All of our success stories can be found here- my252.com

What advice can you share with Somali and Somali diaspora who want to give back?

I would say stay in school and get your degree; one of the most important things is education. Once you have attained the proper knowledge, help others and share that knowledge.

What is next for My252?

MY252.com is fairly a new website and is growing. As a team, our plan is to develop our website over the next year. We are growing at an exceptional rate and are very proud of the progress we have made thus far. Thank you Horn of Hope and everyone around the world who visits and supports our website. Please follow us on our other social medias here!

Our friends recently launched a new site that features more #SomaliSuccess stories and are selling merchandise and clothing! Be sure to purchase, share, and support My252!

Do you often find yourself thinking "How can I bring change?". Well, you aren't alone! We interviewed a few individuals who are inspiring, motivating, and changing communities. From Somalia to Australia, here's a little glimpse into the lives of souls determined to bring change.

Hodan Nalayeh. Founder of Integration TV, Canada.

What Inspired you to create Integration TV?

I grew up in Canada all my life and never knew much about Somalia. Although, I could understand the Somali language, it was very difficult for me to speak and write it. I made a commitment to learn my culture after visiting Dadaab Refugee Camp in 2011 as a volunteer. It was during this period in my life that I realized there is an entire generation of Somalis like myself. They love being Somali, but they lack language & cultural skills. I wanted to create a platform where they could understand, but still learn everything about being Somali and Somalia.

How are you using this platform to bring change and What is next for IntegrationTV?

I went back to school to learn Broadcast Journalism and later developed this platform. Integration TV is the first English Somali TV. It was simple idea to bring an entire community together online via YouTube. Somalis are scattered around the world and speak many languages, English may be the most common language they share since we have an entire generation losing their language in the last 25 years. Integration TV is unique because it utilizes the power of social media to bring social change. In our research, we have found Somali youth do not watch TV, they are on social media even inside of Somalia. They connect with us because we speak their language of change. They have hope and want progress! They are not interested in politics, but prosperity. This is the Somali audience of the future. Young people who have no clan affiliations or regional boundaries. They are seeking success and we are their platform. We showcase amazing Somalis who have achieved in their fields, stories that connect people in the heart and cultural icons they may not know. Somali youth in the Diaspora are connecting with Somali youth back home for the first time since we broadcast shows from Somalia also.

This is a great achievement to help two different cultured Somali youths see their commonality.

We are finally seeing how much we share in culture and struggles of being in the west.

Our program also gives people outside of the Somali community to see and understand our hidden culture. In our broadcast on Canadian TV, we are seeing a shift in the perception of Somalis in mainstream media since our debut last year.

I am Abdirashid Mohamed Dahir and I reside in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. I was born in Gardo, a town in northeastern Somalia where I used to study at schools at times when the country was languishing in internecine conflict; nonetheless there was a hope that ‘Somalia will regain its pride and dignity sooner than later’. I have more responsibilities and a lot of dreams to fulfill sometime in the near future, God Willing.

(wow! We love his mentality!... okay back to the interview!)

We are all tasked with making Somalia ‘great again’ and i am convinced this is a visible goal in the pipeline for everyone including me. To be very frank, I am hobbyist in the field of civil engineering. I like cumbersome computations and of course how we can drive a lot from the nature, just imagine and portray in your mind: designing from skyscrapers to condors, roads resting typically on flat terrain through tunnels and unlocking the vast hydropower potential of Somalia. I shouldn’t forget that internationally acclaimed engineers since the field varies by time are role model for me.

What does Hope mean to you?

Hope really means so much. To me anything is possible in Somalia and let’s put faith in our country. Hope in Somalia, means we can live our life without despair. Indeed, in tribute to all, never ever give up on the beautiful country, Somalia.

What Role do Youth play in the development of Somalia?

Youth have a larger role to play in the development. Their entrepreneurial thoughts are vital to our ongoing march to a better Somalia. Youths might have engaged in development initiatives, this continues to bear fruits, for instance look at charitable works, struggle for more prosperous and educated community, they can be volunteers to dwindle illiteracy rate and perhaps they could help us opt for self-reliance.

What motivated you to become a Civil Engineer and How are you using your platform to bring change?

It’s not because civil engineering is one of the highest-paid jobs in Africa or worldwide. I was propelled by the infrastructure sector which has been in shambles as a result of state collapse. I love getting involved in local communities; I want to become an esteemed civil engineer among my people. I am very much indebted to anyone who stood by me in my quest for a promising field and truly I am sure I will get personal endeavors off the ground to improve access to potable water, to alleviate housing crisis, to build new roads free of charge and research on key engineering topics back home.

I extensively use social media to address a cancer that needs to be severed. Mostly, I tweet about tribalism which really kept progress at bay. I couldn’t wait any longer to remain silent about the dirty clan politics and in turn I use my passion for writing to quell chasm of violence through the pen.

What advice can you share with Somali/ Somali diaspora who want to give back?

"It’s time for Somali Diaspora to return and heavily invest in construction industry. Their significant contribution has already been seen and unless their presence is felt, Somalia’s path to full economic recovery will face hurdles."

What are some of your proudest projects/moments so far?

I visited Somalia last summer to work on the geometric design of presidential road in Garowe. Over the course of my stay, I was also part of UN-funded project aimed at offering solutions to drainage problems. Besides, I feel proud of my contribution to the construction of palace and design of one-way four-lane urban roads in the Somali region of Ethiopia. When working in Ethiopia or other East African countries (if you have), do you find it more challenging to perform your work? (Perhaps Some patterns you’ve noticed?(do they lack similar things?)

The only challenge was how owners of projects are indifferent to the dynamic works of civil engineers.

Education is fundamental to ending poverty and Civil engineering plays a significant role. So, how can our governments/communities encourage people to pursue this career so we can successfully bring systematic change?

This profession is not something very easy, but Somalia needs people capable of imparting some striking ideas to others, especially, those schooled about science. Authorities on the ground should build higher education institutions which specialize in technology, reverse brain drain and make wider appeal in the face of economic infrastructure in tatters.

In Africa alone, people spend over 400 million hours collecting water. Often times, it is women and children who walk 8 unbearable hours only to access contaminated water. This is why we focused our campaign around water. The reality is people are in need of both clean water and safe containers/bags to carry it in. Now, more than ever, people around the world have access to water. THE CRISIS IS SOLVABLE, but few offer a realistic solution. Earlier this year, we collaborated with PackH2o to send as many bags possible to Somalia.

On March 28th, our team gathered the Columbus community of Ohio to raise awareness on the water crisis, illiteracy, and poverty in east Africa. We were honored to share the stage with our partner Packh20's Kelsey Langdale, who elaborated on the lack of water sustainability. The American Relief Agency for the Horn of Africa [ARAHA] also shared a powered video about their efforts to better the living conditions of thousands of Somalis affected by the 2012 famine.

Founders Anisa Liban and Yasmeen Sidiq also took the stage to share their incredible story, passion and mission.

World Water Day is much more than an annual international holiday, it is a day for water and water sustainable development. It is day for gratitude.

748 million people do not have access to clean-safe drinking water. In Africa alone, over 40 billion hours are spent collecting water every year. These numbers are striking but they are not impossible to shrink. In fact, more people have access to clean water now, more than ever before and according to the UN the rate of water related deaths have plummeted.

We here at HOHbelieve 2015 will be a year of change. Why? This month, we launched our annual water campaign to aid over 1,000 dislocated families in Somalia. We also partnered with two powerful non-profits-PackH20 and American Relief Agency of Horn of Africa (ARAHA) to make this a reality!

We believe WATER is everything. Water is health, nature, urbanization, industry, energy, food, and equality!